Discharge duct assembly for dehydrators



April 18, 1950 w. I MCGEHEE 2,504,714

DISCHARGE DUCT ASSEMBLY FOR DEHYDRAToRs Filed Nov. 4, 194e 2 sheets-sheet 1 M 2 Y. 7 t ,Rh E l. B Oe 4 T G 0 S N O 5 E C T f s M 2 u vw v T e N. A n 1L m2 e w ,m A ,4 .m ww W ER vw E m .Nh EV. M L A wm D wv m uH\ III. C .l

April 18,v 1950 Flled Nov 4, 1946 Patented Apr. 18, 1950 Y Y DEHYDRATORS Y Wallace:.LrxlvlGeheegiansas;citwMdgassiknor-z.

Thisl'ri'vent'ion relates generally to'dehydrating equipment v4ofthe kind;hawxxg.y arrotatable; ,cylirr-i doaldrum" disposed horizontally; and adaptedto remove moi'sinlr from comminutedniateral'.'as

' dropped throng dlp at 38 to an annular flange 40 on shell 24. When so supported, shell 24 is in axial alignment with outlet port l2, and has its longitudinal axis on a plane with the axis of rotation of drum it.

A discharge tube 42 is slidably telescoped within shell 24 for axial, longitudinal movement to and from any number of predetermined positions where one end thereof extends through outlet port l2 and into drum ill. During such movement, tube 42 rides on a plurality oi rollers 44,`

carried by pins 46, and extendinginto theshell 24 through openings 48 formed through the wall` thereof and near its lowermost side. These rollers free rotation of the drum relative to the tube; "and means in the shell for holding the tube 44 are disposed in pairs, spaced apart to forma supporting cradle for the tube 42.

An elongated slot 59 is formed in the wall of tube 42 near the top thereof for receiving a gear 52 in mesh with a rack 54 which hangs from theV inner face of tube 42 in alignment with slot 59 by brackets 56 xed to tube 42. A down-turned flap 58 guides the material through tube 42 past rack 54, and the teeth of rack 54 are plugged as at 6u to limit inward movement of tube 4 2.

A bracket 62 secured to the outside of shell 24 mounts a number of .bearing blocks E4 for journalling a shaft @6 upon which is mounted a gear 52 and an adjusting Ahand wheel $8. Openings TG and 'l2 in bracket 52 and shell 24 respectively receive the gear 52 for engagement with the rack 54. Y. Y

An arcuate shoe i4, disposed within the shell 24 above the tube 42, has a block It welded to the upper face thereof, which block 16 is provided-with a cavity 'F8 to receive one end of an adjusting screw 8U. This screw 8u has an annular groove B2 Yrotatable on a holding pin #i4 in block 'l5 as torque is applied thereto.

A head 86 attached to the outer face of shell 24V, has aninternally threaded bore 88 for receiving screw 8i), whichbore 88 communicates with .a cavity 9|) in head 86, disposedto receive block 'I6 as the latter moves upwardly through opening 92 inV shell 24. A hand wheel Q4 on the upper end ofV screw 80 provides actuating meanstherefor.

As the dehydrator is placed in operation, the tube 42 is moved .inwardly or outwardly with respect to drum l0 by turning wheel S6.. As the tube 42 is moved outwardly to dispose a lesser amount ofits lengthV in drum lil, the material escaping from thedehydrator is drier than when the tube 42 is moved inwardly to the position shownin-Figsl and 4. As tube 42 is moved inwardly from the position shown, the material passing from the dehydrator has a higher moisture content. When the operator has set the tube 42 at vthe positiondesired, according to the extent of drying of the material which he has selected, actuation of wheel 94 will force shoe 14 downwardly against tube 42, which in turn is against rollers 44 to hold the same in place.

The original moisture content of materials will vary, as well as the desired condition of the iinished product, therefore,` since minute changes are possible in theassembly, the dehydrator will ybe greatly increased in eciency by attachment of the structure abovedescribed. Y

Manifestly discharge duct assemblies for dehydrators may be made in varying forms of construction without departing from the spirit of this invention or scope of the appended claims. Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to secure, by Letters Patent is:

, 1. Acdischarge duct assembly for dehydrators out of contact with Vthe edges of said drum end forming the outlet port.

2. A discharge duct assembly for dehydrators of the kind having a cylindrical drum. mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis, and provided with an outlet port through one end thereof, said assembly comprising a hollow shell in communication with said outlet port and extending outwardly from the drum; a discharge tube slidably telescoped lwithin said shell and said outlet port for movement to and from predeter- 4mined positions extending into the drtun; a rack xed to the tube and extending longitudinaily therealong; a gear rotatably mounted on the shell, said shell having an opening formed therein, said gear extending through the opening in meshing relation with the'rack; and manually manipulable means for rotating the gear, whereby sliding movement is imparted tothe tube.

3. A dischargeductV assembly Vfor dehydrators of the kind having a cylindrical drum mounted I for rotation about a horizontal axis, and propermitvfree rotation of the drum relative to the tube; andmeans in the shell forholding. the tube out of contact with the edges of said drum end forming the outlet port, said means including rollers in the shell underlying the tube, there being at least one roller on each side cfa vertical plane through the longitudinal axis of said tube.

4. AV discharge duct assembly for dehydrators of the kind having a cylindrical drum mounted V for rotation about'a horizontal axis, and provided with an outlet port through one end thereof, said assembly comprising a hollow shell in communication with said outlet port and extending outwardly from the drum; a discharge tube slidably telescoped within said shell `and said outlet port for movement to and from predetermined positions extending into the drum;Y a plurality of rollers mounted in the shell below said tube for supporting the tube as it is moved into and out of the drum;V an arcuate shoe disposed between the shell and the tube opposed relation to the rollers; and manually manipulable means attached to the shoe and extending through the wall oi said shell for forcing the shoe against the tube whereby the tube is'held against the rollers in any one of said positions.

5. .A discharge duct assembly for dehydrators of the kind having a cylindricaldrum'mounted of, said assembly comprising a. stationary hollow shell in communication with said outlet port and extending outwardly from the drum; a. discharge tube slidably telescoped within said shell for movement to and from predetermined positions extending into the drum through said outlet port, said outlet port having a. diameter greater than the outside diameter of the tube to permit free rotation of the drum relative to the tube; and means in the shell for holding the tube out of contact with'the edges of said drum end forming the outlet port, said means including rollers in the shell underlying the tube, there being at least one roller on each side of a vertical plane through thewlongitudinal axis of said tube, and releasable structure on the shell overlying said tube for holding the tube against the rollers.

WALLACE L. MCGEHEE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

